Since Michigan State gained full membership to the Big Ten Conference in the early 1950s, the Spartans have been fighting the perception the true rival of their primary rival, Michigan, is Ohio State.

What has never been the view is MSU’s primary rival is Ohio State rather than Michigan.

Not anymore.

While Michigan continued to flounder, the Spartans beat Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game last year, snapping the Buckeyes’ long winning streak to begin the Urban Meyer era. In 2012, the Spartans lost by one point to OSU at home and defeated the Buckeyes on the road in ’11.

The most-anticipated game on the Big Ten’s schedule in 2014 is Nov. 11 when Michigan State hosts OSU at night in East Lansing.

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The East Division title, in the re-aligned Big Ten, figures to be at stake under the lights at Spartan Stadium more than when MSU hosts Michigan two weeks before, or the Wolverines visit Ohio State Nov. 29.

For the decade-long period Michigan and Ohio State dominated under Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes – and for many years afterward – the Big Ten was dubbed the “The Big Two and the Little Eight…or Nine…or 10.”

Now, it’s “The Big Two and the Little Dozen.”

Ohio State and MSU.

Ohio State has had one bad season in recent memory – when the “Tattoo Gate” scandal brought down Jim Tressel’s program. Meyer has quickly righted the ship.

Winning the Big Ten title was not an aberration for the Spartans. They shared a title before the division format was implemented, and would have won another had there not been a division format. They lost a close game to Wisconsin – a team MSU defeated during the regular season – in the first-ever Big Ten Championship Game following the 2011 season.

In the last five years, Ohio State (33-7) and MSU (29-11) have ranked 1-2 in Big Ten play. Each program has won a Rose Bowl, the only two Big Ten wins in Pasadena since 2000. It’s even closer the past three years in conference play (Ohio State 19-5, MSU 18-6).

Because it hasn’t sustained such long-term success since the 1950s and 1960s, there is a notion MSU will have trouble maintaining its current pace.

Perhaps that’s why (along with a non-conference road game at Oregon) virtually every preseason forecaster has Ohio State rated higher than MSU.

The betting site Boveda.com lists Ohio State as having even odds of reaching college football’s first-ever final four, but MSU listed at just 9-to-4.

Based on tradition, it makes sense, but not necessarily on the current reality. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller is a terrific player, but he was outplayed in the Big Ten championship game by MSU’s still-developing Connor Cook. MSU tailback Jeremy Langford rushed for nearly 1,500 yards in ‘13, and Buckeyes’ star running back Carlos Hyde has departed for the NFL. Ohio State’s defense was decidedly mediocre last season, and has lost its two best defensive players, linebacker Ryan Shazier and cornerback Bradley Roby, both first-round NFL Draft picks. The Spartans’ defense will miss cornerback Darqueze Dennard, a first-round draft pick, but does return defensive end Shilique Calhoun and safety Kurtis Drummond, and a lot of depth.

The Spartans are used to being underestimated. Often, during the Mark Dantonio era, it’s been in comparison to Michigan, though.

Now, it’s Ohio State.

Just because the Spartans have reached the mountain top in the Big Ten doesn’t mean they will descend quickly.

The Buckeyes are formidable, sure.

Yet, it’s the Spartans, who return many key players, who have shown Ohio State is beatable.

And there is nothing, really, preventing MSU from defeating its new arch rival again.